Is the menstrual cycle affecting the skin prick test reactivity?
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Prospective within-subject repeated-measures observational study.
What was done
Forty-two female patients with seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis underwent skin prick testing (SPT) for allergen extracts and histamine at three distinct phases of their menstrual cycle: early cycle (day 3 or 4), mid-cycle (day 14 or 15), and end-cycle (day 27 or 28). Serum concentrations of estradiol, progesterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) were measured simultaneously.
What was found
The largest reactions to allergens occurred during mid-cycle testing, while SPT reactivity to histamine did not vary across the menstrual cycle phases. Mid-cycle allergen reactivity showed a positive correlation with serum estradiol and LH levels. The abstract reports no numerical values, wheal sizes, correlation coefficients, or p-values.
Why it matters
Hormonal variations during the menstrual cycle may modulate allergen-induced cutaneous reactivity, suggesting that the timing of allergy testing relative to the menstrual cycle could influence test sensitivity.
Limits
The abstract provides no numerical measurements, effect sizes, or confidence intervals. The sample size was small (42 participants), and the study lacked a non-allergic control group to assess baseline skin reactivity patterns.
Cited by
- supports Rising estrogen levels, such as during the days leading up to ovulation, cause histamine levels to increase.